This application includes a microfiche appendix including one microfiche and 26 frames.
This invention relates to a system for automatically measuring the damage status of seeds or grain.
For various reasons, it is desirable to have a reliable system for measuring the amount of mechanical damage done to samples of grain, such as corn. One reason would be to aid in the evaluation of different grain harvesting or handling mechanisms. Another reason would be to evaluate the grain itself. Currently, the USDA endorses a sizing technique to determine grain damage. This technique does not detect kernels which are slightly chipped or cracked. Another technique uses a dye which visually enhances any damage done to kernels. This technique requires significant sample preparation and then manual sorting and analysis of the sample, and is subjective and time consuming.
Known grain analysis systems are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,642, issued Dec. 4, 1973 to Anson et al and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,173, issued Aug. 6, 1974 to Knepler. These systems are designed to determine the constituents of a grain sample, such as the amount of oil, protein and moisture therein. Both systems function by analyzing infrared radiation reflected from the sample. In neither system is an image of the grain sample formed or analyzed, nor is damage determined.
It has been suggested by Berlage et al that machine vision and digital image analysis techniques could be used to sort and separate seeds from contaminants such as unwanted crop seeds, weed seeds, and inert matter such as plant parts, fungal bodies and soil particles, (see "Seed Sorting by Machine Vision" by Berlage et al, Agricultural Engineering, October 1984. However, the Berlage et al article does not include the information required to measure grain damage utilizing machine vision.